Below is the seventh installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. After a slow start, Euro 2016 has burst into life, and football fans all around the continent were treated to a thrilling group stage. Footballing giants such as Germany, Spain and hosts France

Below is the sixth installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. Thank goodness that’s over. After being drawn into Group B along with England, Slovakia and Wales, Russia had real hopes of making an impression on Euro 2016, however we were in for a

Below is the fifth installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. Ten days into Euro 2016, the deciding group stage matches are upon us. France, Italy, Switzerland and Spain have already qualified, and now it’s the turn of Group B. While England have practically

Below is the fourth installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. Having taken a battling draw against England on Saturday, Russia came into their second Euro 2016 clash with Slovakia on a high. Head coach Leonid Slutsky knew that a victory would practically book

Below is the third installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. Following the chaos of match-day one, Russia head into their vital Group B clash against Slovakia in Lille on the back of a hard earned draw against England. Vasily Berezutsky’s goal in that

Below is the second installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. First games are always nervy affairs, and Russia were thrown into the lions’ den in their Euro 2016 opener. An ageing, pedestrian Russian side were handed the challenge of taking on a youthful

Below is the first installment of a Euro 2016 column titled “The Russian Review” by Russian football expert and sports journalist, Shaun Nicolaides. The miserable days with Fabio Capello at the helm are still fresh in every Russian football fan’s mind. Russia have endured a dismal few years on the international scene, and after a